NATIVE SmMWFFERS, 



653 



by a drop of blood. The rest take no notice, and fall one 

 alter another till some of them take the alarm. (See 

 Illusti-ation facing \k 443.) 



The native mode of preserving them is to cut off the 

 wings and feet, and tlien skin the body up to the beak, 

 taking out the skull. A stout stick is then run np through 

 the specimen coming out at the mouth. Round this some 

 leaves are stuifed, and the %vhole is wrapped up in a palm 

 spathe and dried in the smoky hut. By this plan the 

 liead, whicli is really large, is shrunk up almost to nuthiiig, 

 the body is much reduced and shortened, and tire greatest 

 prominence is given to the llowing plumage. Some of 

 these native skins are very clean, and often bave wings 

 and feet left on ; others are dreadiuliy stained with 

 smoke, and all give a most erroneous idea of the pro- 

 portions of the living bii'tl 



The Paradisea apodaj as far as we have auy certain 

 knowledge, is conliued to the mainland of the Am 

 Islands, never being found in the smaller islands which 

 surround the central mass. It is certainly not found in 

 any of the parts of New Guinea visited by the Malay and 

 Bugis traders, nor in any of tJie other islands where Birds 

 of Paradise are obtained. But this is by no means con- 

 clusive evidence, for it is only in certain localities tliat the 

 natives prepare skins^ and in oilier places the same birds 

 may be abundant without ever becoming known. It is 

 therefore quite possible that tliis species may iuhabit the 

 great south em mass of Kew Guinea, from which Am has 

 been separated ; while its near ally, which I shall next 

 describe, is coulined to the north-western penhisula. 



Tlie Lesser Bird of Paradise (Paradisea papuana of 

 Bechstein), " Le petit Emeraude " of French authors, is a 

 nmch snuiller bird than the preceding, although very 

 similar to it It diSers in its lighter brown colour, not 

 becoming darker or purpled on the breast ; in tl>e exten- 

 sion of the yellow colour all over the upper part of the 

 back and on the wing coverts ; in the lighter yello%v of the 

 side plumes, which have only a tinge of orange, and at the 

 tips are nearly pure white ; and in the comparative short- 

 ness of the tall cirrhl The female differs remarkably from 



